Today, 7 September, is International Clean Air Day for a Blue Sky, a day whose main objective is the research, development, improvement, and implementation of new practices to improve air quality and contribute to eradicating high levels of air pollution.
This objective is very much in line with the LIFE NextFUMIGREEN project to develop natural fumigants based on active substances extracted from plant extracts to control pests in greenhouses. Fumigant biopesticides are less toxic than conventional pesticides, and the replacement of chemical pesticides will mitigate adverse effects on the environment and human health. In fact, compared to the use of chemical pesticides, LIFE NextFUMIGREEN‘s natural fumigants could reduce the impact on carbon footprint by 80% and groundwater pollution by 70%.
Today, the biocidal active substances used in Europe are mostly chemical compounds, many of them toxic and persistent in the environment, which are linked to endocrine disruption and disease. The use of pesticides leads to several environmental problems, such as:
- Soil and water contamination, and atmospheric pollution by persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
- Impoverishment of crop soil
- Bioaccumulation, or accumulation in living organisms.
- Emergence of super pests
- Reduction of biodiversity.
The problems caused by the overuse of pesticides remain a concern for the sustainability of our environment and global stability. In fact, their use worldwide has increased by 50% in the last 30 years, and 2.5 million tonnes of commercial pesticides are now applied annually. Fumigant biocides have been a common method of control for decades in the fields of public health, food hygiene and animal health.
The development of natural biocides is becoming a pressing need for our society and our environment. Today, more than ever, we join in the celebration of International Clean Air Day for a Blue Sky.
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